The present invention relates to a sealing assembly which can be interposed between two relatively rotatable members substantially to close an annular cavity defined between the said members in a fluid-tight manner, and particularly relates to a sealing assembly for rolling element bearings of railway axles.
It is known that railway axle bearings, usually of taper roller type, are provided with assemblies for sealing against the escape of lubricant and the ingress of external contaminants, constituted by sealing baffles including a rigid metal baffle fitted onto one of the members in motion, for example the outer ring of the bearing, and a sliding labyrinth seal element cooperating with the other ring of the bearing or with an element of the axle and rigidly connected thereto; this type of sealing assembly has the dual disadvantage of a high operating friction, which is manifest as a very high loss of driving energy, and a rapid wear.